Natsuki Shinohara enters the virtual reality of OZ in Mamoru Hosoda`s Japanese Academy Award-winning SUMMER WARS, coming to DVD and Blu-ray. Photo courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment. © 2009 Summer Wars Film PartnersJapanese Academy Award-Winner Coming February 15th Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Official Site: s-wars.jp (Japan), funimation.com/summer-wars, gkids.tv/summer (US) Special Thanks to Jackie Smith and Manny Alcala
Key art for the US release of SUMMER WARS. Photo courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment. © 2009 Summer Wars Film PartnersFrom the visionary director of THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME (2007 Japanese Academy Prize winner, Best Animated Feature) comes the story of an ordinary family going to extraordinary lengths to avert the impending cyber apocalypse! The internationally acclaimed animated sci-fi film SUMMER WARS (Samaa Woozu, 2009) makes its North American home video debut on February 15th. The first pressings of the 2 disc DVD set ($29.98) and Blu-ray edition ($34.98) from FUNimation Entertainment will come with bonus limited edition art cards. Kenji is your typical teenage misfit. He’s good at math, bad with girls, and spends most of his time hanging out in the all-powerful, online community known as OZ. His second life is the only life he has – until the girl of his dreams, Natsuki, hijacks him for a starring role as a fake fiancé at her family reunion. Things only get stranger from there. A late-night email containing a cryptic mathematic riddle leads to the unleashing of a rogue AI intent on using the virtual word of OZ to destroy the real world, literarily. As Armageddon looms on the horizon, Kenji and his new “family” set aside their differences and band together to save the worlds they inhabit in this “near-perfect blend of social satire and science fiction”. (AnimeNewsNetwork.com) Director: Mamoru Hosoda English Language Track Director: Mike McFarland Blu-ray /DVD Release Date: February 15, 2011 SRP: $29.98 (DVD), $34.98 (Blu-ray) Number of Discs: 2 (DVD), 1 (Blu-ray) Sound: Japanese 5.1 Stereo Surround, English 5.1 Stereo Surround Subtitles: English Running Time: 114 Minutes Aspect Ratio: 1.85: 1, 16:9 Blu-ray spec: 1080p HD Native Extra Features: • Interview with Japanese Voice Actor Ryunosuke Kamiki (Kenji Koiso) (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) • Interview with Japanese Voice Actor Nanami Sakuraba (Natsuki Shinohara) (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) • Interview with Japanese Voice Actor Mitsuki Tanimura (Kazuma Ikezawa) (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) • Interview with Japanese Voice Actor Ayumu Saito (Wabisuke Jinnouchi) (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) • Interview with Japanese Voice Actor Sumiko Fuji (Sakae Jinnouchi) (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) • Interview with Japanese Voice Actor Mamoru Hosoda (Director) (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) • Teaser Trailers (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) • Teaser TV Spot (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) • Original Trailer (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) • TV Spots (JPN audio w/ENG subtitles) Rated PG for action violence, some suggestive content, language, mild thematic material and incidental smoking.
High school girl Natsuki Shinohara in the real world. Photo courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment. © 2009 Summer Wars Film PartnersAbout FUNimation Entertainment
FUNimation Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit funimation.com.
For more information on SUMMER WARS please see the previous coverage here on SciFi Japan:
